546 



XACERTAE 



order to avert the evil, a priest is empluyed to go through a 

 rhythmical incantation." 



Captain Eobinson, renowned as a hunter of tigers on foot in 

 the old days of nnizzle-loading rifles, has told me the following 

 unique use to which these large lizards are put hy ingenious 

 thieves in India. In order to be altle to get over a wall too high 

 for climl)ing without assistance, the thief provides himself with a 

 strong lizard, ties a rope round its waist and lets the animal go, 

 when it at once scales the mud wall Ijy its strong and sharp 

 claws, and jumps down on the other side. The weight of the 

 lizard, which, moreover, holds vigorously on to the ground, and 



Fig. 140. — Varanus saivator swallowint,' a Fowl's es 



the friction of the rope on the top of the wall, are sufficient to 

 help the man over ! 



It is a sight, never failing in its attraction to the visitors of 

 the Zoological Gardens in London, to see one of the big Monitors 

 fed with an egg. The lizard knows the treat well that is 

 in store for it. It raises itself up high in expectation, then 

 examines the egg with the long tongue, takes it up gingerly 

 and swallows it entire, crushing it by the contraction of the 

 muscles of its gullet. On one occasion it was given a rotten 

 egg which burst in its mouth, and the lizard refused for a long 

 time to take another. 



V. gouldi is conmion in Australia and in New Guinea. It 

 reaches a length of about 4 feet. Its colour is brown above 



